Genres

Visitors Review

wayne_e_day 2012-05-20 18:00:24

I agree- Better Than I Would Have Thought

I originally dismissed this movie as a stinker based on the descriptionand previews. While the Super Wife in the movie didn't make an impacton me at all- I can't even remember what she looked like or who shewas- Kurt Russell was superb- just enough ham to carry the movie. Thestudent's were well chosen- the evil ones were just evil enough so youcould tell them apart, but not that your kids would have nightmares forthe next few weeks. A fairly typical "G" rated Disney movie. Myfavorite part was the scene where, after the boy finally gets hispowers and misuses them, Russell takes him to the Secret Sanctum forwhat we assume to be a well-deserved verbal tongue-lashing.This is proof you can make an entertaining family movie that kids willenjoy, that will hold the attention of parents, and that you don't haveto use a single curse word or show any breasts.

2012-05-20 02:52:49

Great time, even for non-family couples!

I am a fan of profound films, you know "meaty" ones, with jarring plots, and humanistic stories. However, I have to say I had a blast watching this, at 32 years old. The PQ was great, and the story was engaging, as it reminded me of all of the challenges of HS. I love Superman and generally enjoy the "superhero" genre. This was a fun spin, with cool characters, and of course, many interlaced Disney messages, and I'd highly recommend this, for a fun night of Blu-ray fun!

george.schmidt 2012-05-10 19:17:50

Not so "Incredibles" but fairly "Fantastic"

SKY HIGH (2005) *** Kurt Russell, Kelly Preston, Michael Angarano,Danielle Panabaker, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Dee Jay Daniels, KellyVitz, Nicholas Braun, Malika Khadijah, Jake Sanvig, Will Harris, KevinHeffernan, Lynda Carter, Bruce Campbell, Steven Strait, ClorisLeachman, Dave Foley, Kevin McDonald (voice of Patrick Warburton) Not so "Incredibles" but fairly "Fantastic"Just when we think we have seen our fill of comic book heros beingadapted to the silver screen comes an out-of-nowhere sleeper of thesummer that is amiable enough to make a mark for some originality. The premise is simple – teenagers who have super powers from super heroparents are sent to the top secret Sky High, a high school literallystationed in the clouds thousands of miles out of sight (and sustainedby an anti-gravitational system in perpetual motion to avoid anyvillains taking potshots at the progenies there), where they areassigned duties as either Hero or Sidekick. Will Stronghold (Angarano) is the son of superhero parents TheCommander (Russell having a field day here) and JetStream (Prestonhaving some fun as well) AKA Steve and Josie Stronghold, realtors byday and saving the world by night, who can't seem to find his superpowers despite the first day jitters with his best friend Layla(Panabaker), the cute girl who can control all plant life (like Aquamancan with fish), and harbors a secret crush for her buddy. There theymeet a few other new friends including Magenta (hottie Vitz), a purpleclad punk who can transmogrify into a guinea pig; Ethan (Daniels) whocan melt into a puddle; Zach (Braun recalling some Michael Richards andJim Carrey physical shtick) who can glow like a fluorescent nightstick; and Gwen (Winstead exuding girl-next-door purity), a loveinterest for Will who is an expert with technology.All are faced with being assigned as either a Hero or a Sidekick by theno-nonsense jerk Coach Boomer AKA SonicBoom (square jawed cult heroCampbell eating up the scenery with glee) humiliating Will who can'tsummon his gifts and is reduced with most of his new buddies asSidekicks where they are schooled by Mr. Boy and Mr. Medulla ("Kids InThe Hall" alums Foley and McDonald, respectively), the former a formersidekick to The Commander (who doesn't recall him) and the latter a madscientist type with a huge noggin as a throwback to the sci-fi flicksof the '50s. What makes the film somewhat refreshing is that it is a mix of kitschycomic book stylings with adolescent angst and the pitfalls they endureas teens all done with cheeky aplomb and surprisingly keen observationsto how teens interact with one another and more importantly theirparents. Russell, who cut his baby teeth on Disney flicks (which this film is aproduct of by the way), with his wide cut jawline, high cheek bones,dimple and kiss-curl pompadour is perfect casting as an old-schoolsuperhero (replete with cheesy costume) and Preston actually seemsenergized for a change than her usual dishwater logged turns lately, asthe parents are a match made in heaven, with equal parts humor (Ilaughed out loud when Russell, in a fit of anger, demolishes a celphone, only to open the kitchen drawer and retrieving a new one from adozen standing by in just that case of circumstance) and know-howingenuity (when the villain Royal Pain is finally revealed it isshrewdly alluded to earlier in a subtle line of dialogue). It's alsonice to see the shapely, remarkably well-preserved Carter as the highschool's principal who actually says at one point, "I'm not WonderWoman, you know?"What makes the film fun is the kids enjoying themselves largely thanksto the breezy direction by Mike Mitchell and a smartly funny screenplayby Paul Hernandez, Robert Schooley and Mark McCorkle (the latter duo ofthe animated TV series, "Kim Possible") and the kooky production designby Bruce Robert Hill and the aforementioned colorful costumes byMichael Wilkinson (sort of Nickelodeon meets DC Comics) all not takingitself too seriously and plainly a guilty pleasure not since lastyear's benchmark animated fare "The Incredibles", which this inevitablyis being stacked against; apples and oranges – both are ultimatelyfantastic family fare. It beats "The Fantastic Four" for what that filmlacks, whimsy and heart.

2012-05-10 07:11:14

super heros unite!

This review is from: Sky High [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray) I loved this movie, and even better in blue ray. it's a good fantasy movie, and has a timeless appeal. I like the part where he's not "all there" yet w/his powers, and eventually he is. Kurt Russell is good as the super hero dad. I'm a fan, so it makes perfect sense to me. ;-) anyone who likes fantasy and super heros w/a dash of villiany will love this movie. Plus the ending makes you like it too! a great popcorn movie!!

dancer_dramaqueen 2012-05-05 15:20:10

great movie for all ages...

It is funny, dramatic, and my favourite, romantic. You won't feelembarrassed to watch this one with the folks, but you won't feel boredwatching it with your friends. The typical kind of not so popular guyturning out to be hero and falling in love along the way. With a nicetwist in the end. Great performance from the actors, I hope I can seethem in future movies!!! Maybe a little more of a girl movie than guy,but it is good. Throw in some good looking guys (and there are)and thismovie is almost perfect! Not a must see, but if you are bored andlooking for a movie, choose this one, especially if you are going withyour family. I would recommend it more as a rental than big screenmovie... but that Warren Peace guy is good looking!!!!

2012-05-04 19:59:00

A truly fun movie for kids and adults alike

It is so refreshing to see a movie like Sky High, a movie that is pure fun to watch for the whole family. Solid performances by all the cast, a story that never slows down nor takes itself too seriously, good FX, it has everything you want if you want to have a good time and forget your troubles for a while. Highly enjoyable!

2012-05-02 01:48:05

only ok

it was kinda dumb it feels like they were just trying to beat someother superhero movies before they can even come out too theatres but sky high is only ok i think the incredibles was maybe a bit better but the incredibles wasn't that great either.

2012-05-01 09:07:12

"I can't do anything more to help you. I'm not Wonder Woman, you know."

The 2005 superhero family fantasy "Sky High" is about a boy named Will Stronghold (Michael Angarano) whose parents, Steve & Josie Stronghold (Kurt Russell and Kelly Preston respectively), are famous superheroes named "The Commander" and "Jetstream". Steve ("The Commander") has super-strength and Josie ("Jetstream") can fly. Naturally, Steve & Josie believe that their son Will will grow up to be a superhero, so they enroll him in the exclusive superhero high school called "Sky High", so named because it floats several thousand feet in the air thanks to an anti-gravity device. When new students (freshmen) arrive at Sky High, they are separated into one of two groups: heroes or sidekicks. A hero has a real superpower, whereas a sidekick may have a power, but not something powerful. The man responsible for determining which kids are heroes and which are sidekicks is Coach Boomer (Bruce Campbell, who may be remembered for portraying Elvis Presley in the 2002 film "Bubba Ho-tep", as well as his roles in the various "Evil Dead" films). Upon arrival, the new freshmen are met by Sky High's principal, Principal Powers (Lynda Carter, best known for portraying Wonder Woman in the 1970's TV series of the same name), before being tested by Coach Boomer. The determination of whether a child is a hero or a sidekick determines not only what classes they attend, but also their social status: sidekicks are generally not socially accepted by the heroes. Hence, when Will cannot initially demonstrate any superhero powers, he is designated as a sidekick along with most of the new students who rode to Sky High with him in the flying school bus driven by Ron Wilson (Kevin Heffernan). Of course, Steve & Josie aren't particularly happy that their son may only be a sidekick, but Will may only be a late bloomer, as he demonstrates when he gets into a fight with another student, the flame-throwing Warren Peace (Steven Strait), in the school's cafeteria. Once it becomes apparent that Will is a hero and not a sidekick, he's moved from the sidekick classes to the hero classes where he gets to spend time with the beautiful senior named Gwen Grayson (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), who may be more than she appears. Will tries to continue to be friends with his former fellow-sidekicks, including his very dear friend Layla Williams (Danielle Panabaker), but Gwen and her friends want to separate Will from them. As the film progresses, the stage is set for a climatic ending.With good special effects, good acting, an interesting story and good direction (under Mike Mitchell), the family-friendly "Sky High" is a very entertaining film for young & old alike. Those familiar with the Harry Potter stories written by J.K. Rowling may find some similarities between Sky High high school where students are separated and Hogwartz with its separation of students into four houses. However, whereas Hogwartz separates children based upon personality traits, Sky High separates students based upon abilities. Overall, I rate "Sky High" with a well-deserved 4 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it.

2012-04-27 04:32:07

Fun Family Movie

This is an enjoyable and clean movie for the whole family to watch. We loved it and is one of our favorite movies. We give it 2 thumbs up.

starzchic21 2012-04-26 13:22:42

Great

It was an awesome movie...it was cute and funny like any other Disneymovie. As I went in the movie, I was kind of thinking that it wasgeared more toward younger children, but I am 18 years old and Ienjoyed the whole thing. It is action packed, full of wit, andextremely exciting. It keeps you on your toes while waiting for thenext scene and it is somewhat unpredictable. I would recommend it as agreat movie to go see with your family because the whole family willlike it. It is a wonderful family movie, as I said before, thatchildren of all ages,parents, and even teenagers (who are usually hardto please) will all enjoy!

2012-04-25 16:15:39

Family Fun

This is a fun, if not stellar, coming-of-age movie that will appeal to the whole family. The premise is clever; the kids of super heroes go to a special high school where they learn to use their powers while dealing with the social stress and awkwardness of adolescence. Themes such as the "first girl friend," "hanging with the cool crowd," and "pleasing dad" are intelligently handled. It is also neat to see this sort of movie focus on a male character, and the problems he encounters.The violence here is so comic bookish that it helps keep the laughs and the characters moving. One doesn't have to worry about the characters dieing, except from embarrassment. In some ways, that is the worst sort of death to experience, a point that the movie makes.Kurt Russell does an exceptional job playing the slightly oblivious father. Kelley Preston is the absolutely drop-dead gorgeous mother. The rest of the cast and characters are fun, although perhaps a bit stereotypical. This was especially true for Layla (played by Danielle Panabaker), the alternate love interest who is a plant-loving vegan who won't fight unless directly assaulted. She quickly became a caricature of the "liberal hippy child" instead of a compelling character. The plot is also predictable, but give the whole movie, this works OK.Over all, I recommend this movie for benign laughs and a good time.

2012-04-24 21:17:40

All-Star Cast!...and humor that is fun for all ages.

This review is from: Sky High (Widescreen Edition) (DVD) If you love comic books, Kids in the Hall, or Super Troopers...you must watch this movie. I've got 4 words why you need to own this movie:Ron Wilson...BUS DRIVER!Forget Kurt Russell!Look for great supporting roles filled by Kids in the Hall veterans Dave Foley and Kevin McDonald, as well as Kevin Heffernan of Super Troopers/Broken Lizard fame, and don't forget THE MAN HIMSELF...Bruce Campbell!...MUCH better than Bruce's one-minute cameos in Spiderman 1 & 2! (take note Sam Raimi!) P.S. Watch the Special Features and look for outtakes of young Will Stronghold...this actor is so weird that you feel embarrased to watch his "screw-ups", and I can't believe they didn't cut it out of the DVD Special Features.P.P.S. Almost as good as The Incredibles and that's a bold statement.P.P.P.S. Look for a tribute to The Toxic Avenger!

vravina 2012-04-24 09:01:46

So, it looked like crap, but it isn't! I promise.

Firstly, my favorite films include Eternal Sunshine of the SpotlessMind, Fight Club, Pulp Fiction, Matrix and Donnie Darko.Secondly, this movie far exceeded my expectations by beingentertaining, funny and not being a huge pile of crap. This surprisedme, because the trailers make it look like the next Master of Disguiseor Garfield.Luckily, it's not. It's not amazing, but if you're in the market for agood kid movie, this is one.The movie has action, fire, superhero references this way and that,true love and plot twists that you may or may not spot a mile away andeven if you do, it won't diminish your enjoying it.

lindseye117 2012-04-23 23:13:13

A Really Good Family Movie

I had to say I found this movie quite entertaining. I loved the factthat it can be fun for both adults and children. The story plot wasgreat and the actors very lovable. I rented this on a Friday night andended up watching it with my kids 5 times. Cute movie and now after Irented it, I am going to buy it. It was just that good. I love thewriter's imaginations because the super powers were great. Also it hadreally good graphics for a child's movie. If I had to recommend it toanyone, I would strongly recommend it for a family night at home with abig bowl of popcorn and some sodas. It would make a great gift ideaalso. I give it a 10 out of 10.

waynemw 2012-04-20 20:22:14

Sky high will blow you away

What can i say! but me and my friend loved this film, it really perkedus up, it had laughs all the way through the acting was amazing andshows what talent there is out there. if only real life was like thatand i could choose a power to have id be loving it, i hope there is asequel to this film as kids and adults alike will flock to see it.When the main character realizes he hasn't got the powers he is meantto on his first day at sky high he is relegated to be a side kick it isonly when he finds himself he discovers his first power of strengthwhich he has inherited from his father, as the story develops he fallsin love with an older girl while his best friend is in love with him,but when this older girl invited his super hero mother and father tothe ball that we truly discover why? this is when his second power offlight is discovered, you will have to watch to find out what happens.this film is a story of true friendship and hope and id recommend it toany wishing a light hatred film to spend a couple of hours out.

mritter-3 2012-04-20 03:42:04

Really enjoyable

My husband and I were dreading a visit to theater to see Sky High withour six year-old daughter. We were so mistaken! The film was reallyvery enjoyable. Funny, smart, visually interesting and just plain good.We were all laughing, as were the other parents around us. The actorswere very witty and capable. The script was great. The set and specialeffects was first rate. I usually enjoy going to the girly Disneymovies (Princess Diaries, etc.) but I walked into this film with a bitof a bad attitude, convinced the superhero plot wouldn't cut it. I wasso wrong.The commercial doesn't do the film any justice, it was reallya very cute film that I won't even mind viewing ad nauseum when itcomes out on DVD.

rooch 2012-04-18 21:58:56

secret sanctum

i thought this was a great movie, but it didn't get nearly enough hypewhen it was in the theaters. it was smart, funny, and incorporated a lot of other highlights in thismovie, i would love to see a sequel where the Stronghold 3 have tofight or even meet Leila's parents and the powers they have. speaking of Leila, does anyone else think that she didn't want to belabeled a hero because she knew her and Will would be together and shewould basically work side by side with him?my one quirk is with the secret sanctum. wouldn't it have a type ofsensor alarm for people or things that don't belong? and also if JETSTREAM can fly why does she have to slide down the poll,can't she just fly down to the sanctum? okay that was it.

gabbk 2012-04-18 12:25:34

great movie

i found it was a great movie for all ages. I would love to see itfollow will stronghold rate through his high school years.And keep allthe actors playing the same parts. Can;t wait too hear if there will beanother one. they left the movie wide open for a second one. It wouldbe really cool to see it follow his whole time at sky high. Also wouldbe neat to see what all happens after the dance. I think to it was agood idea using some of the old best super hero's from when i was a kidand know with me having kids they are seeing them plus there is newones too. I was shocked how much my 4 year old and 6 year old just thethe hero's and watching the younger kids getting there powers. It wasjust great i really hope there will be another one.But hopefully theycan use the same actors cause sometimes when they make a second moviethey get different people to play the part and then it is not as good.

ROBT CHEZEM 2012-04-18 00:58:38

wow

this is a childrens movie, not for adults, and noted the incredibles was written for adults, so many adult ideas, this is more pg, we don't need more adult movies for children.

2012-04-17 13:13:09

Sky High-ly Recommended

I give this one 4 stars for it's sheer fun. We saw this while visiting Denver and it turned out to be the perfect film for the adults as well as the 13 and 8 year olds. Lots of laughter and silliness. Always enjoy Kurt Russell as well. I am only suprised that more folks weren't talking about it. It felt fresh and still had a nice feel aside from all the super hero antics.Others may pan it ... we were delighted.